In recent weeks, the United States has seen an escalating clash between free speech and government actions, particularly surrounding the deportation of students involved in pro-Palestinian activism.
What started as routine protests on college campuses has now turned into a significant legal and political battle, with critics accusing President Trump of undermining constitutional rights.
Trump’s ‘Restoration’ of Free Speech Under Scrutiny
On February 14, 2025, JD Vance delivered a speech at the Munich Security Conference, where he criticized European countries for restricting free speech and policing speech in a way that he argued infringed upon people’s rights.
Ironically, Vance’s condemnation came just weeks before President Trump made claims that he had restored free speech in America.
Speaking to Congress on March 4, Trump proudly declared that his administration had ended government censorship and reinstated free speech.
However, critics argue that the reality is far from this claim, as the Trump administration’s actions seem to contradict the very freedoms the president claims to protect.
According to Time magazine, Trump has consistently favored speech he agrees with while punishing speech that opposes his agenda, which directly contradicts the principles laid out in the First Amendment.
Mahmoud Khalil’s Arrest and Deportation Fight
One of the most prominent cases highlighting this tension involves Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian student at Columbia University.
On March 8, 2025, Khalil was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and detained at LaSalle Detention Center in Louisiana.
Khalil had become involved in pro-Palestinian activism, particularly following the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza in 2023.
He was actively involved in negotiations for the Columbia University Apartheid Divest movement and participated in protests supporting Palestinian rights.
Despite being a legal permanent resident with a green card, Khalil’s arrest and pending deportation were justified by the government under a rarely used section of U.S. immigration law, which allows for deportation if an individual’s actions are deemed to be a threat to U.S. foreign policy.
A judge temporarily blocked Khalil’s deportation, but the case has sparked outrage from civil liberties groups, students, and activists who believe this is a clear violation of free speech protections.
Yunseo Chung and the Growing Crackdown on Protests
Korean-American student Yunseo Chung also finds herself in the crosshairs of the Trump administration.
hung, who moved to the U.S. from South Korea at the age of seven, became involved in pro-Palestinian protests at Barnard College.
In March 2025, she was arrested during a protest against the university’s disciplinary actions against student demonstrators.
The government argues that Chung’s actions interfere with its foreign policy goals, particularly concerning efforts to curb antisemitism. ICE moved to deport Chung, despite her having been a legal resident of the U.S. for over a decade.
Chung’s legal team filed a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that her deportation would be an unconstitutional assault on her rights to free speech and protest.
A Manhattan judge temporarily halted her deportation, allowing her to remain in the U.S. as she fights the decision.
Dr. Rasha Alawieh’s Deportation and Controversy
Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a physician and kidney specialist, was also deported in March 2025, despite holding a legal visa and having been ordered by a federal court not to be deported.
Alawieh, who had been visiting family in Lebanon, was detained upon her return to the U.S. She had attended the funeral of a prominent Hezbollah leader, which the government used as a justification for her deportation, claiming that she had sympathetic material on her phone.
Despite the court order, Alawieh was forcibly removed from the country, a move that has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights advocates.
Rumeysa Ozturk and the Widening Scope of Deportations
In another disturbing development, Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested by ICE agents in Massachusetts.
Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, was accused of participating in pro-Palestinian protests.
A video surfaced showing Ozturk being detained by masked agents, which sparked outrage.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Ozturk’s student visa was revoked due to her activism, and she now faces deportation to Turkey.
The Larger Pattern of Targeting Pro-Palestinian Activists
These cases are part of a larger pattern of immigration enforcement targeting pro-Palestinian protesters, particularly those critical of Israeli policies.
In late March 2025, Secretary of State Rubio announced that over 300 students had had their visas revoked or rescinded for participating in campus protests, many of them advocating for Palestinian rights.
The Trump administration’s actions have raised serious questions about due process and the erosion of First Amendment rights in the U.S.
The Threat to Free Speech and the Role of Israel
During discussions on this crackdown, Professor John Mearsheimer and Judge Andrew Napolitano argued that the greatest threat to free speech in the U.S. today is the influence of Israel and its supporters.
Mearsheimer emphasized how far-reaching efforts to silence criticism of Israel have become, not only on college campuses but also across the country.
Critics point to the administration’s actions as a concerted effort to suppress speech critical of Israel, which many view as a violation of the fundamental right to free expression.
As the deportations continue, the question remains: Is Trump truly restoring free speech in America, or is he actively working to suppress it in favor of a more controlled, ideological narrative? This ongoing debate is central to the future of free speech and protest in the U.S.